British Industrial History

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 109,693 pages of information and 152,228 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

1928 A.W. Martin joined the business (later to become Chief Engineer and designer of the famous round Bakelite radio) – 500 employees. Other key employees who joined at this time were John Wyborn from Marconiphone Co as Chief Engineer, and Michael Lipman as Production Engineer.

1929 Land acquired in Priory Crescent – building commenced.

1929 British Industries Fair Advert for Ekco Mains Power Radio Devices. For obtaining the power supply for Radio Receivers direct from electric supply mains by attaching adaptor to any convenient light or power socket. (Wireless Section - Stand No. MM.73) [1]

1930 April 25th. Became a public company

1930 Business moved to Priory Crescent.

1931 First Bakelite press ordered; this was something of a gamble as Bakelite moulding required considerable capital investment in machinery that could be used economically only for very large production runs. In the event, the gamble paid off. 1,000 employees.

1932 Fire destroyed part of factory including the R. and D. labs (1932/3 prototypes lost). The firm nearly went out of business. The firm survived by introducing a new range of receivers in attractive cabinets that could not have been made in more traditional materials. These new cabinets became a pattern for the rest of the industry and helped increase Ekco's turnover to more than a million pounds in 1934

1935 Working agreement between the television firm of Scophony Ltd and E. K. Cole radio manufacturers, with investment by Cole's[3]. Scophony had produced one of 4 television systems in the UK; this was based on an optico-mechanical system suitable for commercial projection[4].

1937 British Industries Fair Advert for Ekco Mouldings. Manufacturers of Synthetic Resin, Moulded Products of all sizes, shapes and colours for Electrical Radio and Allied Trades. Exhibits include Moulded Cabinets and Components of Ekco Radio Receivers. (Electricity: Industrial and Domestic Section - Stand No. Cb.926) [5]

1938 Government held secret discussions with EKCO about help with radar research and production methods. EKCO offered help via A.W. Martin; secret lab. established by year-end. EKCO had 3,000 employees.

1939 Secret planning to disperse research and production away from Southend into 'Shadow factories'. September onwards, production transferred to war work (type 19 army radios). EKCO helped with getting night fighter radar AI Mk 2 into production. Secret underground lab. built alongside underground shelters at Southend.

1940 June – evacuation plan activated. HQ moved to Green Park Hotel, Ashton Clinton; military radio work to Aylesbury, Bucks; radar work to Malmesbury, Wiltshire. First successful night fighter attack and shooting-down in July.

WWII: Ekco was engaged in the production of portable radios, airborne radar sets, plastic practice bombs, and the T1154/R1155 radio sets for bombers.

1941 After the Blitz, radio- and valve-manufacture re-commenced at Southend.

1942 Full production of air interceptor radar - AI Mark 8 – which stayed in production through the rest of the war.

1943 Development started of 'man-portable' VHF military radios (Walkie-Talkies); these came into service in time for invasion of Italy. Radio sets, and wiring harness for Lancaster bombers made at Southend. Approx. 8,000 employees across all sites.

1945 Production scaled down across all sites. Ashton Clinton and Alyesbury closed down, Malmesbury continued. Southend re-commenced radio and plastics production.